Calm down. You mentally told yourself while your heart pounded erratically against your ribcage. The adrenaline coursing through your veins was not helping in the slightest as you could feel your body trembling while your hands clenched against your apothecary case, pressing it to your side in a protective manner. You were afraid that even the slightest shift would reveal your position to the agitated beast. After a painstaking pause, the ground near you quaked and the sounds of dirt and pebbles being flung around the area could be heard.
You did not need to see what was happening to know that with its hard exoskeleton, the Geovishap hatchling was rolling its body around and by the sound of it, it was definitely getting closer to where you were crouched and hidden behind a large boulder. You mentally scolded yourself, annoyed at how this entire situation could have been avoided if you were more aware of your surroundings. To think that you were going to be killed without even fully travelling to all the regions was truly a devastating thought but you were slowly coming to terms with reality—with this entire ordeal. There was no way you could outrun the hatchling, there was nothing you could do to get yourself out of this mess this time.
The sound of the approaching hatchling suddenly stopped. You could hear its heavy footsteps followed by the sounds of its sharp claws dragging against the ground. You allowed yourself to let out a shaky exhale, convinced that the hatchling must have given up on looking for you but something was not adding up. It was suddenly too quiet. You could not hear its footsteps, you could not hear anything until a harsh sound of something sharp scratching against a hard surface could be heard—right next to you. You jumped from its sudden appearance, scrambling to rush away just as it was about to lunge at you.
"Fallen leaves...adorn my night!" You heard his voice before you could even see him because your vision was immediately hindered by the sudden materialisation of some sort of anemo whirlwind around the hatchling, trapping and hurting it as it attempted to fight back against thin air.
You sprung up to your feet, dragging your case along with you as you moved backwards to get as far as possible from the whirlwind so you would not get caught in it. Your eyes were plastered to the swirls dancing around the hatchling as though you were caught in a trance. You then noticed that there was a figure in the whirlwind with the struggling hatchling, and with a swift draw of his blade the figure cut down the madden hatchling. Just as the anemo whirlwind dispersed, the hatchling's body disintegrated into specks of golds and blues—being carried by the wind until it was no more.
You allowed yourself to take in a proper breath, relieved that you were saved even though you were moments away from meeting your makers that reside in Celestia. Now that you could see the figure properly, you were quick to notice that he donned a kimono which instantly told you that he was not from Liyue. The green glow of his vision that hung on his back caught your attention before he fully turned around to look at you. His soft red-orange eyes met yours and as he approached you, all you could do was stare at him. You weren't sure if it was because of your adrenaline slowly fading or was it his gentle expression that made you speechless. Once he was merely a few feet away from you, he greeted you with a smile.
"Are you unharmed?" he asked you, voice soft and gentle.
"I'm fine..." you answered almost immediately.
"I am glad to know that." he said, eyes falling to the case in your hand for a brief moment before looking back at you. "Are you perhaps an apothecary?"
"Y-Yes, I am." you said before quickly realising that you have yet to thank him for saving your life. You opened your mouth to give him your thanks but the young man spoke first, interrupting you.
